SHELBY – More than 500 people have applied for jobs at a furniture manufacturing plant that plans to reopen this month after closing four years ago, according to company officials.

It was just two weeks ago that Bernhardt Inc. – a Lenoir-based company that closed its Shelby plant in 2009 and eliminated about 100 jobs – announced it would reopen the Grover Street facility and bring jobs back to the county.

“An unbelievable number have applied,” said William Howard, the company’s vice president of human resources. “It’s north of 500. It’s been uplifting to see us get such a welcome back to the community.”

Applicants from near and far have shown interest in working at the Shelby plant, including former Bernhardt employees hoping to return. After a story about the company’s plans published June 29, The Star has received emails and calls from people in Sanford, High Point and Hickory, all interested in applying for a job at the furniture-maker.

"I have been unemployed for 18 months," Sanford's Laura Maness told The Star. "...I live in Sanford...and I will drive to Shelby just to hand them my resume."

Here’s a look at more details on the plant’s reopening:

How many jobs will Bernhardt offer in Shelby?

The company plans to start with 30 to 50 in the next 30 days, according to Howard.

He said that number will increase depending on financial assistance available from local and state government entities.

“We’re in negotiations about incentives available to us,” he said. “Based on that, we’ll see how large we want to make our facility. We could make it quite large in upholstery plant numbers or back off and increase our footprint in Lenoir.”

What types of jobs will be offered?

Cloth-cutters, inside and outside upholsterers, sewers, inspectors, shipping workers and material handlers will be among the jobs, according to the company. Plans call for products to be shipped to the Lenoir headquarters and then shipped to destinations, Howard said.

“We would anticipate the average pay once we get up and running would be in the $15 to $16 an hour range,” Howard said. “An upholsterer who is good at what they do and can work quickly can certainly make double that.”

The county’s current annual salary is in the $32,000 range.

Why’s the company reopening its Shelby facility now?

Company officials say several factors led to a decision in mid-June to reopen Plant 9 in Shelby.

“Mostly, it was due to our incoming orders,” Howard said. “We’re beyond capacity here in Lenoir to serve our needs on a continuing basis.”

In 2009, Howard told The Star the plant was closing due to a decline in demand for Bernhardt’s furniture.

“Certainly, the economy is better than it was five years ago,” he said. “There was a tremendous downturn in our business in the late 2008-09 time frame. Things are better but not great.”

When will the Grover Street plant begin operation?

“We’ve already ordered production tickets and hope to start next week,” Howard said. “We owned the building, had it available, are renovating it now and getting it ready for production.”

What’s been the response of the Cleveland County community?

Enormous, Howard said, including excitement of people whose family members previously worked at the Shelby location.

“People like Doyt Johnson who, ironically, passed away about a day or two before we made this announcement to come back to Shelby. Doyt was a longtime manager in the 1970s, 1980s and into the 1990s,” Howard said. “Doyt continued to mow the grass for us, even after he retired. I know many people in Shelby remember him fondly, and I know he’ll be there with us in spirit.”

Needing a job

Here’s a look at Cleveland County’s unemployed by month in 2013

January – 5,768

February – 5,350

March – 4,939

April – 4,755

May – 5,048

Source: N.C. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Want more information?

Bernhardt Plant 9 is at 732 E. Grover St. in Shelby. Visit bernhardt.com, Bernhardt Furniture Company on Facebook or @bernhardtinc on Twitter for more information.